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I just tried a newer restaurant in the ID. Vegetasia (5th and King in the old Top Gun). While it is vegetarian, it is definately traditional authentic cantonese. We had the fried bean curd sheets with vegetables, the seaweed deep fried rolls and the Crispy Taro Roll. All that I can saw is Wow. Each dish was great, however if I had to choose one dish it would be the fried bean curd sheets. I had never had a dish using the bean curd sheets in fried form. They picked up the sauce while still being crispy. I am going again tomorrow with one of my co-workers.

Many thanks Vinelady about the heads up for "Vegetasia". I love good vegetarian when I can find it. I am hoping to try it on my next venture to the ID.

On a different note, I had dinner at "Takohachi" last Saturday. It has been a couple of years since I ate there last with my late Japanese dad. Our last experience there had been a good one. They do a good job for what they charge. They have a great menu. That said, I was not expecting much on this visit and it was a good thing. Perhaps it was an off night but I hate it when they give you bad service when you dine alone. The place was not busy as it was just after 5:30 when they opened. They could have been nicer. I am trying to overcome my inclination to bolt out of Asian restaurants for no good reason other than"bad vibes" so I stayed. I got the miso ramen and fried rice combo. I had been looking forward to trying the fried rice again after reading the posts on this thread. The rice was good except that onions were (temperature) hot but not cooked. The sharp raw onion overpowered the rest of the dish. I love onions but this gave me indigestion afterwards. I didn't feel that it was a good idea to complain or send back the dish as they didn't really seem to care if I was there or not. The miso ramen was just okay. Even though I have complaints about this place, I would probably go back again but probably a friend.

One of my current Japanese favorites in ID are: Fort St. George (accross the street from the old Uwajimay site, on the 2nd floor) 601 King St. Ste. 202, (206)382- 0662, for Japanese spagetti, Japanese dorias (rice gratins) and their hamberger steak and funny colored soft drinks with ice cream and whip cream.

The other favorite is Fuji Sushi, 520 Main St. 98104 (206) 624-1201. A little more expensive than Takohachi but still a good value for the money. I may have posted this before but excuse the repeate info. This restaurant was a particular favorite of my dad's and other Japanese ex-pat's. This is the restaurant that the Seattle Go (board game) center takes visiting Japanese professional "Go" players to.

By the way, I recently had dinner at "I Love Sushi" in Bellevue for the first time and did love it. I am aware that this is topic for restaurants in the ID. I didn't have any of the sushi but had the tempura, many of the fabulous tofu dishes and the fried banana-strawberry spring roll (with fruit/ice cream/chocolate sauce et al) dessert. I would drive to Bellevue for this place. Most likely based on this last wonderful experience of great service and food I was sorely dissapointed with Takohachi. Sincerely, WL

Each dish was great, however if I had to choose one dish it would be the fried bean curd sheets. I had never had a dish using the bean curd sheets in fried form. They picked up the sauce while still being crispy. I am going again tomorrow with one of my co-workers.

If you like bean curd sheet, Teapot on Capitol Hill uses them a lot. There's a fried seaweed/beancurd sheet thing that sounds similar to what you describe. It's called Treasure of the Sea or something like that...

If you like bean curd sheet, Teapot on Capitol Hill uses them a lot. There's a fried seaweed/beancurd sheet thing that sounds similar to what you describe. It's called Treasure of the Sea or something like that...

I have been to teapot many times and this place is really so much better. Teapot tends to be more americanized than I like.

... We went for lunch at Takohachi a few days ago and my husband and I agree, it is probably the best fried rice we have ever eaten! I took your rec and ordered the mackerel, which was very tasty. I don't think I'd ever had it before except as sushi. This was a rather large beautiful piece of fish that I shared with my husband, as a little mackerel goes a long way with me. I took a photo and will post it soon. I found the service a bit slow, but I think they were understaffed the day I was there, 1 waitress with all tables full (note, the place is small, though).

This is my long overdue photo of our lunch at Takohachi.. from top down, miso soup, mackerel w/ pureed daikon on side. Bowl of bacon fried rice, (forget what the tiny bowl is), steamed rice topped w/housemade furikame (that came with hub's lunch), salad w/ 2 croquettes and bowl of udon (more of hub's lunch). Quite tasty, all of it.

Wow, that looks like a nice chunk of saba! And they didn't skimp on the daikon, either. I'm going to have to get down there soon....Thanks for the great picture BH.

Jan

Jan Seattle, WA

"But there's tacos, Randy. You know how I feel about tacos. It's the only food shaped like a smile....A beef smile." --Earl (Jason Lee), from "My Name is Earl", Episode: South of the Border Part Uno, Season 2

I visited Seven Stars Pepper recently, first time in a while, so I thought I would report. It was my fifth visit, spread out over the several years since it's opened. It's probably a good sign that, in a group of five people, two Chinese, this was the place we were able to agree on. (I'm not Chinese.)

I can't remember the name of every dish we ordered, but I will try. We ordered fairly randomly, trying what to me were all new things. The real standout was the deep fried chicken, Szechuan style. I was the one who insisted on trying this and I was actually very confused. I thought maybe they would deep fry a whole chicken, the way they deep fry a whole crab (we had that the first time and as everyone says it's awesome, especially the crispy edible pieces that form at the thin pieces near the joints). But no, this was little chicken pieces deep-fried in breading. Fortunately, the breading was fantastic. Also, it came with green beans that had been stir-fried with some hot peppers. Really really good chicken nuggets, I guess. Very addictive.

Nothing else was quite so memorable, but nothing was bad (well the sweet-and-sour chicken was boring except for the mild shock of the accompanying raw onion, but we only ordered it because we had a suspected spiceophobe in the group). Baby bok choy and garlic was nice, the vegetable flavor pretty intense, cooked in a nice broth. The crispy noodles wasn't that exciting. Neither was the twice-cooked beef. (All this was ordered in Chinese, so I have no idea if the noodles were hand-shaved, if that's even an option. But quite likely not.) I do love how when you order things here, you get so much more than you expected. It's true that you get crispy noodles, but you also get all this unannounced stuff on top of them, like mushrooms and onions and chicken (if I'm remembering right) and whatever else. The beef also came with all kinds of vegetables. It's one of those menus where you really have to order everything to figure out what you like.

Scallion pancake was good, but not outstanding. The fortune cookie contained a flattering message. OK! I think that's plenty long enough. Definitely don't skip the deep fried chicken, Szechuan style, next time you go.

We took a group of 6 friends to Seven Stars the other night-none had ever been-and everyone was blown away. They loved every single dish we ordered, esp. our favorite, the Szechuan crab. Brad, I too like to randomly order dishes there-my latest delicious discovery is the hot pepper shredded potatoes.

I'm going to NYC later this week and have planned a meal at a highly recommended Szechuan place (Grand Sichuan International). I've never made it a point to seek out Szechuan food when I travel so I'm interested to see how it compares to my Seattle favorite.

(All this was ordered in Chinese, so I have no idea if the noodles were hand-shaved, if that's even an option. But quite likely not.)

I love Seven Star Pepper. I could eat there every week. That is exactly what I've done the past 3 weeks anyhow. It has never been crowded when I've been there (off-hours admittedly), so I hope they are doing well.

You would know if you had the hand-shaved because instead of being skinny and string-shaped, they are white-ish and about 1/4 inch thick, uneven, and have a wonderful melting texture that is just so very right and perfect for the Dan Dan Noodles!

Oil and potatoes both grow underground so french fries may have eventually invented themselves had they not been invented -- J. Esther

I went back a couple of weeks to Takohachi when I was in town, and I swear the saba shioyaki and fried rice was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. If I had to pick a "last meal," that would be it, without hesitation.

"Save Donald Duck and Fuck Wolfgang Puck."-- State Senator John Burton, joking about how the bill to ban production of foie gras inCalifornia was summarized for signing byGov. Schwarzenegger.

I went back a couple of weeks to Takohachi when I was in town, and I swear the saba shioyaki and fried rice was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. If I had to pick a "last meal," that would be it, without hesitation.

I went recently and I have to agree. The saba shioyaki is probably the best I've ever had. Also, I went for lunch and it was a huge portion of both the saba and the rice and my total was less than 10.00 if I remember correctly. I really love the little pickled cabbage too, but I wanted more of it....greed!!

Jan

Jan Seattle, WA

"But there's tacos, Randy. You know how I feel about tacos. It's the only food shaped like a smile....A beef smile." --Earl (Jason Lee), from "My Name is Earl", Episode: South of the Border Part Uno, Season 2

I ate at Purple Dot cafe the other day and thought it was fine. I had shanghai noodles with meat- they were a bit addicting. Saw their dim sum carts going by. I was the only caucasion in their which must be a good sign????

daily lunch report- today I tried Tropics on Weller. very tasty thai food! it was packed but they seem to move people through pretty quickly. It will also be a return stop as I would like to try many things on their menu. (obviously not chinese as this thread is titled!)

Went to the Purple Dot yesterday for lunch with Little Miss Foodie. We went for dim sum and I must say that it was pretty good. The only things we didn't like were the chang fun, there was too much noodle to filler and sauce, and the tripe was a little bland. Much better than I expected it to, I would say that it is a good deal above averge for Seattle dim sum.

We tried the new Homestyle Hong Kong Restaurant. Good chinese clay pot rice in Seattle at last.
The I.D.has taken a good turn with the additions of Green Leaf, then our first ramen house - Samurai, and now a clay pot rice shop. if only someone would make a decent xiao long bao.

We tried the new Homestyle Hong Kong Restaurant. Good chinese clay pot rice in Seattle at last. The I.D.has taken a good turn with the additions of Green Leaf, then our first ramen house - Samurai, and now a clay pot rice shop. if only someone would make a decent xiao long bao.

location please??

i have to say that my current addiction is the house special fried rice at Green Village- cash only.

Clay pot rice is their specialty. They make it with pork riblets, chicken, beef & egg, frog, squab, duck, and several more things that i don't recall. Be sure to scrape the sides of the pot to get the browned, charred rice for textural and taste heaven.

Growing up in Richmond, I guess I am a little leery of what Seattle has to offer in terms of Chinese food. Went with a group (8 people total) to 7 Stars Peppers today after reading many good things about it online. We got the Szechuan crab, the spicy chicken pieces (breaded) with chillis, fried eggplant, green onion pancakes, potstickers, house special pancake, hand-shaved dan dan noodles, pea vines, a special of the day (chicken with taro), the Szechuan "bacon" stir-fried with scallions, and the scallops with garlic sauce. I honestly thought one dish was passable (pea vines), and everything else was downright bad or below average. The noodles were totally over-cooked. All the sauces were much too sweet. Green onion pancakes were not flaky or pan-fried, but deep-fried. Everyone else seemed to think the food was pretty good, so maybe it's just me, but I just can't see myself craving this stuff.

There has only been one item served in a Seattle Chinese restaurant that I've eaten and actually enjoyed, and that's the thousand layer pancake at Rocking Wok. Chiang's Gourmet also has decent stir-fried hand-shaven noodles that are good in a pinch, but they also use way too much sugar in their stir-fried dishes (like the "fish fragrant pork sliver" dish, which is normally one of my absolute favourite Shanghainese dishes.)

Growing up in Richmond, I guess I am a little leery of what Seattle has to offer in terms of Chinese food. Went with a group (8 people total) to 7 Stars Peppers today after reading many good things about it online... Everyone else seemed to think the food was pretty good, so maybe it's just me, but I just can't see myself craving this stuff.

Ling, I have the same feeling. I think 7 Stars has gone downhill (from great to just good - which still puts it at more tasty than most other Seattle places) since management changed, despite what others think. In my view, the menu is the same, but the execution is worse.

Owners opened Szechuan Chef in Bellevue, which I think is much better (though falling short of a place like Golden Szechuan in Richmond). Have you been there yet? Would be curious to know your opinion...

I'll warn you not to get the green onion pancake at Szechuan Chef, either-it's done the same way (or worse-someone posted here about getting one that was rock hard). The House Special Pancake is what you want at both places-it is like the 1000 layer at Rocking Wok.

Even though I like 7 Stars I feel for you. Not having any acceptable options has to suck.

Ling, I have the same feeling. I think 7 Stars has gone downhill (from great to just good - which still puts it at more tasty than most other Seattle places) since management changed, despite what others think. In my view, the menu is the same, but the execution is worse.

Owners opened Szechuan Chef in Bellevue, which I think is much better (though falling short of a place like Golden Szechuan in Richmond). Have you been there yet? Would be curious to know your opinion...

No, but we'll try it someday.

kiliki: Maybe it was just the house pancake we got yesterday, but though it was marginally better than the green onion pancake, it was still pretty bad! I wouldn't compare it to Rocking Wok's thousand layer, but then again, it has been months since I've been back there.